Adjustable fork-socket.



C. KRIHA.

ADJUSTABLE PORK SOCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.10,1914.

1,107,970. Patentd Aug. 18, 1914.

/////////// /l///////?`Y Z JOSEPH C. KRIHA, OF RAVENNA, NEBRASKA.

ADJUSTABLE FORK-SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 10, 1914. Serial No. %23,757.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH C. KRIHA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ravenna, in the oounty of Buffalo and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Fork-Sockets, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to a socket forming the' terminal of a fork handle and Constructed to adapt its ooperation with and reception of a plurality of forks of different types, whereby the same handle may be used, for example, with many types of forks used in handling different materials.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a fork handle socket provided with means to interlock therewith any one of a plurality of types of forks, whereby the fork as a whole may be changed to suit requirements.

The invention in the preferred form of details will be described in the following specifioation, reference being had particularly to the acoompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspeotive view of the improved sooket showing one type of fork therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central seotion of same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4--4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a broken perspeotive of the fork showing the means applied thereto for cooperation with the socket.

In carrying out the present improvement, the socket l which is formed at one end for cooperation with the handle 2 in the usual manner, is formed at the opposite end with a longitudinally extending channel or recess 3 and at the extreme outer end with a transverse notch 4 eXtending entirely across the socket and communicating with the channel 3.

In rear of the forward end the upper portion of the socket is cut away throughout its full width and to a depth to expose the channel 4 forming what may be termed a looking element reoeiving recess 5. The respective end walls of the recess in line with the channel 3 are underout at 6 and 7, forming locking shoulders for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

The looking element oomprises a plate 8 of a size to fit within the receiving recess 5 and shaped on its outer side to complete the formation of the socket at this point. The plate 8 is formed at its forward end with a looking nose 9 designed when ,the plate is in i position to engage beneath tae looking shoulder 6, whereby the forward end of, the nlate is Secured in position. The looking nose 9 in formed with a depending looking projeotion 10 for a purpose which will presently apnear. The rear portion of the plate 8 is formedwith a channel 11, the forward portion in advanoe of the channel being of reduoed thickness for a portion of its length to provide a tongue 12 in line with the channel. Pivotally supported between the walls of the channel 11 and resting in said ,channel is a looking lover including an Operating or handle section 13 and a depending or looking section 14 formed with a rearwardly projecting looking nose 15 designed when the parts are in looking cooperation to engage beneath the rear looking shoulder 7 of the socket. The looking projection 14 is formed on its forward edge with an Operating projection 16 and a leaf spring 17 is Secured on the bottom of the tongue 12 with its rear free end resting on the projeotion 16.

The forks of the types for ooperation' with the improved socket have r'earwardly extending rod-like projections 18, the cross bars 19 of the forks being of a size to fit in the transverse recess 4, the rod projections being of a size to fit in the channel 3. The

upper surface of the rod-like projection is formed with a notch 20 designed when the cross bar of the fork is seated in the channel 4 to rest directly beneath the looking shoulder 6. With the parts in this position, the looking member 8 is applied, the looking projections 9 and 10 engaging respectively beneath the shoulder 6 and in the recess 20, the rear looking proj eotion 15 engaging beneath the shoulder 7. When it is desired to release the fork for the substitution of another, the Operating handle 13 is elevated against tension of the spring 17, removing the rear projeotion 15 from the looking shoulder 6 and forming a looking plate as an entirety to be raised from the receivin recess 5 to permit withdrawal of the for and substitution of another.

The improvement described provides a, simple devioe which will readily adapt a single socket for the reoeption of a plurality of forks of distinct Varieties whereby one handle may be made to serve in use with all such forks.

What is claimed is 1. A handle socket formed with a recess, a

fork having a projection to seat in said recess and a movable looking element coperating with the socket to lock said projection thereto, said element comprising forward and rear looking members adapted for coperation with the sooket, and means for moving one of said members with relation to the other to release the element.

2. A handle sooket formed With a reoess, a fork having a projection to` seat in said recess, and a movable looking element coperating with the socket to look said projection thereto, said element oomprising a plate having forward looking member to ooperate with the socket, an additional looking projection to ooperate with the fork, a rear looking projection to oope'ate with the socket, and means for moving said latter projection.

3. A handle sooket formed with a recess, a fork having a projeotion to seat in said reoess, a movable looking element coperating with the sooket to look said projeotion thereto, said element oomprising a plate having forward looking member to ooperate with the sooket, an additional looking projection to ooperate with the fork, a rear looking projection, to coperate with the socket, means for moving said latter projeotion, and a spring for normally holding said latter projeotion in looking position.

4:. A handle socket formed with a recess, a fork having a projection to seat in said reoess, a movable looking element coperating with the sooket to lock said proj eotion thereto, said element oomprising a plate having a forward looking member to ooperate with the socket, an additional looking projection to ooperate with the fork, a rear looking projection to coperate with the sooket means for moving said latter projection, said sooket being formed with reoeiving reoess in which the element is adapted to be inserted, the respective end walls of the recess being formed with looking shoulders to coperate with said looking projeotions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J OSEPH C. KRIHA.

Witnesses:

FRANK SKooHELoroLn, CI-IARLES V. HEWETT.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommssioner of Patents,

Washington, D. GJ 

